1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to adjusting sleeve assemblies and more particularly for a sleeve assembly for adjusting the camber or castor of a steerable wheel assembly in a motor vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ball joints have long been used in automobiles to provide for rotatable motion between two connecting members. Often axial or lateral adjustments are needed between the two members to provide for the proper positioning. One of the more common ways of providing this adjustment is to provide an eccentric member which, when rotated, provides the needed adjustment. Often, the ball joint has an eccentric stud integral with the ball which when rotated, moves the eccentric stud to the desired position. U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,444 issued to Bridges on Apr. 29, 1975 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,211 issued to Mazur on June 3, 1975 disclose the use of eccentric studs for adjusting steering linkages. U.S. Pat. No. 2,405,458 issued to Slack et al on Aug. 6, 1946 discloses the use of an eccentrically displaced stud for adjusting the caster and camber of a steerable wheel assembly.
In addition, another common way is to provide a sleeve with an eccentrically displaced hole therethrough which when rotated provides the proper adjustment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,578 issued to Mattson on May 31, 1977 discloses a sleeve with an eccentrically displaced hole for adjusting a McPherson strut assembly. Such sleeves with eccentrically displaced holes with their axis parallel to the central axis of the sleeve have also been used in adjusting the camber of a steerable wheel assembly which is mounted to a spindle through upper and lower ball joints.
The extent of adjustment of these sleeves with eccentrically displaced holes is limited by the diameter of the sleeve and the size of the spindle arm which mounts the sleeve. The extent of adjustment is further limited due to the structure of the sleeve. In order for the eccentric hole which has its axis parallel to the central axis of the sleeve to receive the stud of the ball joint, the ball joint stud must angle in a direction opposite to which the camber adjustment is desired. In other words, if the top of the spindle is positioned outwardly for positive camber, the ball stud extending from a ball mounted in the control arm must point inwardly which causes the spindle to move partially to compensate for the angle of the stud. The retrograde motion of the stud unduly limits the range of camber adjustment of a given diameter sleeve.
Attempts have been made to extend the stud through the spindle at an angle which would eliminate the need for the retrograde motion of the ball stud with respect to the spindle. One such attempt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,810 issued to Primeau on May 15, 1962. Primeau discloses a two-piece adaptor with partially offset and parallel apertures extending through each piece and a generally cylindrical shaped ball stud with a generally smaller diameter than the diameter of the apertures. The stud has two spherical collar sections which abut the sides of each aperture so the stud can angle through the partially offset apertures. The two-piece adaptor of Primeau requires a ball with a specifically adapted stud portion.